


tell me over lunch

by buckfxckbarnes



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Crossbow Lessons, Gay Panic, M/M, daryl dixon is Not Straight, idk how to tag, pre aaron losing his arm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:07:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25139719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckfxckbarnes/pseuds/buckfxckbarnes
Summary: aaron asks for crossbow lessons from daryl. gayness ensues.takes place before aaron loses his arm.i have never used a crossbow before so pls idk if it's right
Relationships: Aaron/Daryl Dixon
Kudos: 22





	tell me over lunch

"dar?" aaron's voice rang through the garage. 

"over 'ere." the hunter responded. aaron made his way over to see daryl crouched digging around a toolbox. 

"hey." he leaned against the wall. 

daryl's knees hit the floor. "'sup?" he looked up at him through his hair. aaron's heart stuttered in his chest. 

"nothing. saw the light on, figured i'd stop in and say hi." 

daryl cocked his head to the side. "that all?" 

the taller man paused. "well. there's one other thing." daryl looked at him expectantly. "you think you could, uhm," a blush tinted his cheeks pink. "teach me how to use a crossbow? totally cool if not, i know it's your thing. but seeing you use it makes me wanna learn. this is stupid, i'm sorry. never mind." he turned to leave, but stopped when he felt a light touch to his elbow. it made his stomach all bubbly. 

"sure, aar." he had an amused smile on his face. 

"cool. cool cool cool." _not very cool, aaron._ "uh, whenever you're free-" 

daryl laughed and pushed him toward the door. "see ya tomorrow morning, man."

aaron could not sleep. according to his watch on his side table, it was going on three in the morning. 

there was something between him and daryl. what it was, he was unsure. but there was something. 

he knew for sure he had feelings for the other man. hell, the walkers could probably even tell. but daryl's hard to read. he knows the man likes him, but does he like him in the same sense aaron does?

aaron was deep in thought. did daryl know he liked him and was just being nice? was he looking for a way to get rid of the man?

but then again, if he was just being nice, would he spend so much time with him? would he sit to close their sides are pressed together even when there's plenty of room? would they talk for hours in front of a dying fire? would he let aaron constantly fall asleep on his shoulder or in his lap? and run his fingers through his hair? 

he was just confused when it came to the other man. he wasn't even sure if daryl liked guys. he rolled onto his side. it was nearly 4:30 now. he closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep and the swarm of butterflies in his stomach to settle.

they met by the pantry. 

"what, are we having a picnic?" aaron eyed the blanket in the bowman's hands. he swore he saw red creep up daryl's face before he turned away. 

"nah. i mean, we're gon be out all day, ya know. practicin' 'n stuff." his voice was gruffer than usual. 

aaron smiled. "okay. anything you need me to carry?" he offered. 

"jus' yer pretty self." flirty banter was another thing they always did. it also gave aaron hope that his feelinsg were reciprocated. aaron just took the blanket from him and hit him with it. 

"flattery will get you nowhere but my bed, dixon." he joked back. 

"as if that's not my plan." daryl smirked. aaron had to stop now before he had a... problem.

the taller man cleared his throat. "we should get going, to wherever you're taking me." 

"a'right." he slung his bow over his shoulder.

they headed to the gate, which was pulled open for them. aaron didn't miss the wink rick threw at daryl, which caused the hunter to flip him off and rick to laugh. 

they walked for a good twenty minutes to a field. there was a post planted in the middle that stood a good ten feet tall. 

"here we are." aaron looked around. his gaze fixated on daryl putting his bow down and taking off the backpack he had. he took the blanket from aaron's grip and laid it out on the grass. "first thing's first - breakfast." 

"here, like this. there ya go." he shifted aaron's elbow to the right position. "careful. kick's a bitch." daryl was standing so close. aaron was hardly able to pay attention, but he managed. he nodded in acknowledgement. 

the taller man pulled the trigger and the arrow went flying. the jolt of the bow string being released shook his whole body, and if daryl hadn't been there to hold him up, he'd be flat on his ass. "holy shit." he was grinning as he gained his balance. he hit the post, just barely. he turned to daryl who looked just as excited as aaron himself. 

they made eye contact for what felt like forever. daryl looked down at his boots. he glanced at aaro once more before going to retrieve the arrow. 

aaron definitely didn't watch daryl pull the arrow out of the post. he didn't notice how his arm flexed. he didn't.

he forced his eyes away when daryl turned back. 

"you wanna try 'n reload it yerself?" 

"sure." he nodded. 

he struggled a little, and he'd be lying if he said it wasn't on purpose. okay, so maybe he was trying to get daryl to help him. sue him. 

"need help?" he cocked his head. that damn head tilt was gonna kill aaron one day. 

aaron laughed. "a little." 

daryl put his hands over aaron's and pulled the bow string back. "there." it clicked into place. daryl's hands didn't move, though. aaron watched daryl's side profile. the hunter glanced at him quickly. he pulled his hands away and took a few broad steps away. "sorry." he played with his fingers. 

the taller man put the bow down and straightened. "daryl." he stepped toward him and stretched out a hand hesitantly.daryl wouldn't really look at him. 

he knew the hunter didn't have much experience expressing his emotions, and it hurt aaron to see him like this. it hurt to see daryl fighting himself internally. and aaron was scared to see which side would win, and what the sides even are. 

finally, daryl just huffed out something incoherently and marched over to aaron, stopping in front of him. their eyes met. he lifted a hand slowly up beside aaron's face, experimentally. aaron pressed into it and closed his eyes. daryl started at him. 

when aaron opened his eyes again, daryl's eyes flicked from them to his lips. aaron nodded slightly. darly moved slowly, his other hand coming to rest on aaron's hip. aaron's hands came to daryl's arms. 

their lips met softly. there was no rush or urgency to it. it was soft, short, sweet. they parted only for their freheads to meet. daryl's thumb stroked aaron's cheek. aaron smiled at him.

"you know how long i've been waiting for you to do that?" 

the hunter laughed and opened his eyes. "know how long i've wanted to do that?" 

aaron opened his eyes. the soft look daryl was giving him brought the swarm of butterflies from last night back. 

"tell me over lunch?" 


End file.
